The One Who Loved Me
by CaptainessAli
Summary: I never told her I loved her, but now it's too late. In her heart, I'm dead, nonexistent. What else is there to live for? (EDIT IN PROCESS)
1. Chapter 1

**KYRA**

"What are you doing, Kyra? If you just stay there you'll be killed for sure!" shouted Artix, from somewhere far away.

I could not ignore him, since he was the leader of this small party against the undead, but also...

... Because I loved him.

There was no explanation for it, I just _did._

And I didn't know how I could take this any longer. How I could live on without ever telling him. But he probably would never love me back. Sure, Artix might be concerned about my well-being at times, but it was just as a friend and nothing more or less. I wasn't as beautiful, skilled, and graceful as Vayle, and I never would be, anyway. I could only be me. Being yourself was supposed to bring confidence.

But what if being me ... only brought sadness?

I stood up and followed him, my heart heavy.

**Sorry this is so short - but I'll try to make it longer. **

**And DISCLAIMER - Everything belongs to DragonFable (Artix Entertainment), haha. Except Kyra, she's my character! :D**

**Anyway, please read, rate and review! Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**ARTIX**

I watched as the mage Kyra rushed headlong into the mass of undead that swarmed before us and began madly shooting spells left and right, as though this was the last bunch of undead on earth. I followed, with a sort of disapproval. Never, in all my twenty-three years of life, had I ever met someone who could be more enthusiastic about fighting undead than I was.

Someone like her. She was the only one.

God, but she was strong in battle. And foolish, too - she never seemed to notice when she was wounded, just continued fighting as though there would be no tomorrow.

_As if there might be no hope left. _Where had that thought come from?

Kyra's still young, only nineteen. How could she have lost hope for anything? She was just an ordinary mage - all right, so maybe ordinary wasn't going to cut it. Nothing about her was ordinary in the least - not her piercing green eyes and ebony hair, or the ease with which she handled spell, sword, or dagger. Or her kindness and forgiveness - it was on account of Kyra that Konnan had managed to reverse his wrongs before it was too late.

Yes, she was out of the ordinary. But also yes, that I could only regard her as a friend and comrade, nothing more.

For there was Vayle.

_Vayle, _I thought as I hacked away at an Undead Berserker with my Holy Strike. I had met her, so many years ago, when I had rescued her from the river, and from the schemes of Sepulchure. Vayle, the beautiful Necromantress who was waiting for me somewhere back in Falconreach, who had not come along because of her extreme sensitivity to dark forces like the undead.

I was tiring - but why? I was usually up to fighting undead, due to the powers of the Darkness Orb, which had rubbed off on me many years ago. _But I was tiring._ The magic must have begun to fade away at last - but at such a horrible time! I still had waves of undead to fight!

Curse me for only bringing Kyra along. I should have been more careful - at least for her sake. But trust me to make a molehill out of a mountain, as I always did. I swore silently.

I had to battle my way out and reach Kyra. If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself.

Now undead surrounded me on all sides. I tried to lift my arm to fight, but it would not move, and my sword dangled uselessly at my side. I reached for the pouch hanging from my belt, in which I usually carried health potions. It was empty.

Then a blast of blindingly bright light surrounded me, and I heard the cries and screams of the undead as they collapsed beneath the light. At length, the brightness faded, and I was faced with an empty battlefield.

Well, empty except for me and Kyra.

Kyra was standing several yards away, her back facing me, her ebony hair blowing and her hands still out in front of her, as if she had just cast a spell. I realized the massive light spell must have been hers.

Then she swayed ... and suddenly fell.

"KYRA!" I could hear myself shouting as I ran towards her.

It was my fault. All my fault.


	3. Chapter 3

**KYRA**

I didn't care much about the pain, or the overwhelming fatigue, that entailed the casting of that almighty light spell. What mattered most was that _he _was all right.

_The one I loved._

_Artix._

I remembered his brown eyes, always with that rough kindness, and sometimes, a hidden smile or laugh if I could coax it out of him. But always that kindness. It was always there. I remembered when he, Rolith, and I had sworn that solemn oath to protect Lore from any danger, any evil that threatened it. Of course, Artix, already being a Paladin then, had taken the oath long before. But he had chosen to swear it again, along with me.

That was before he had found Vayle. Before my life took a turn for the worse. That was almost a year ago.

* * *

_I followed Artix as he led the way into the cave - the entrance to Sepulchure's lair. Where a young Necromantress had been imprisoned for many years._

_Vayle._

_"Artix, you cannot!" I shouted, trying to pull him back. He had made up his mind to finish off Sepulchure himself._

_"Why?" he snarled, jerking his arm free from my grasp. _

_"It is not about revenge!" I argued. "It is about saving Vayle!"_

_"Yes, but -" _

_"If you do, I will do everything in my power to stop you!" Artix turned and looked at me, his brown eyes widening in shock. "I -" _

_"Here for the Necromantress, are you?"_

_Artix and I spun around to find Sepulchure standing behind us. _

_"What did you do to Vayle?" Artix and I shouted, practically in unison._

_"Nothing whatsoever," Sepulchure said calmly. He then proceeded to tell us about Vayle's possession by the Darkness Orb, and how he had offered to show her how to revive her dead brother if she would only serve him. For her power - the power of the Darkness Orb - was stronger than his, by a thousandfold._

_"Why don't you revive her brother?" I asked. "A deal is a deal!"_

_"Bah - as if I could!" sneered Sepulchure. "It is impossible to revive the dead -"_

_"I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH!" a female voice sounded behind Sepulchure. We all turned around - Artix and I in wonder; Sepulchure in dread._

_"You ... you TRICKED me!" Vayle shrieked, her wings growing three times larger as she spoke. "You will PAY for this!" _

_She rose in the air as the power of the Darkness Orb crackled around her. Sepulchure cowered._

_"No! I - it was a mistake! Please! Spare my life!" he begged. _

_"Never!" And Vayle finished him off with one blast of darkness. Sepulchure shrieked once, then vanished into thin air, never to be seen again._

_Vayle slowly sank back down on the floor, tears streaking her face. Artix and I ran over to her. Vayle looked up and saw us._

_"Artix... I'm sorry..." Before she could say another word, Artix had pulled her into a tight embrace. I had no idea what he would say next._

_"I love you, Vayle."_

_She had looked up, her eyes shining brilliantly. "I love you too, Artix."_

_They were meant to be together. I saw that now. _

_Then why..._

_...why did I feel..._

_...so _sad_?_

* * *

"Artix... I love you," I whispered. Gosh, but it was dark. So dark. I couldn't see a thing; I was lost in all the darkness, in all the sorrow. But then there was no one to hear, no one to know. It was too late to matter, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**ARTIX**

I carried Kyra in my arms. She was so light - as light as a feather.

Thank goodness I had brought my bandages along, or she would have bled to death from all those injuries.

We were in Doomwood Forest. The nearest place to heal her would be the Sandsea, an hour's walk, if not more. I willed my aching limbs to keep moving, and it became almost mechanical. I could not, already would not forgive myself for what I had done. It was all my fault Kyra was hurt. I had to get her to safety before her wounds became infected, or she would...

_No. Do not _ever_ think about that._

Kyra shuddered suddenly and gave a low moan. Instinctively, I held her more tightly to me.

"No, Kyra," I said between gritted teeth. "You have to hold on, _hold on_, do you hear me?"

"Artix... I love you."

Her voice was barely a whisper, and she was still either asleep or unconscious, but it stopped me in my tracks. For some strange reason, though, I didn't feel as surprised as I should have been when she said that. As if it was an admission of a truth I had known, deep down, all along.

And then the guilt washed over me like a tidal wave, so strong that it threatened to overwhelm me right then and there.

_I had known all along. Even before I found Vayle._

_And I had ignored it, toyed with Kyra's feelings as if she wasn't, too, a living and loving being._

_It really _was _all my fault - _everything._ I deserved to be punished for this._

_But I hadn't loved her then ... had I? Did I even love her now?_

And I thought. Remembered.

* * *

_"Artix, you cannot!" she shouted, trying to pull me back. I had made up my mind to finish off Sepulchure myself._

_"Why?" I snarled, jerking my arm free from her grasp. _

_"It is not about revenge!" she argued. "It is about saving Vayle!"_

_"Yes, but -" I didn't want her to be endangered by Sepulchure, if I was off saving Vayle._

_"If you do, I will do everything in my power to stop you!" I turned and looked at her, brown eyes widening in shock. "I -" _

Why had she tried to stop me? Why? I had never even heard her answer.

_Because she loved me. Even then she did. She didn't want me to get hurt. She didn't want me to possibly die._

_She would rather place herself in danger, if it meant I would be safe. She wouldn't care about anything that happened after that. Even if it meant taking her life's dream, and reducing it to shreds. Even if I could not love her in return. Even if I loved Vayle._

_She would sacrifice everything._

* * *

_"No!" shouted Konnan - or, more appropriately, Drakonnan. "I will not rest until all of Lore is in ruins! And you will not stop me!"_

_"And destroy your home? Where you grew up? All the people who cared about you, and still do?" Kyra asked quietly. "You would take all of that, and whisk it away as if it were nothing?_

_"Do you remember, Konnan, when you were young? Remember running through the fresh green grass, without a care in the world, watching the sun set, then going back to where all your friends waited for you? Where all the people who ever cared a whit about your well-being were there, and ready to risk their lives for you if need be? You were once a man. You were once living life with us, Konnan. Have you forgotten so quickly? Have you forgotten love? What it means to love?_

_"I know how you feel, Konnan. I know _exactly_ how you feel. Because I have been like you before. I have known the meaning of heartlessness, of losing my family to forces that cannot be stopped. I know how it feels to be completely alone, watching as everyone returns to a warm, cozy home and a loving family while you stand out in the streets by yourself - " Her eyes were unusually brilliant with tears, but her voice remained steady. "I know how it feels to be walking away, not knowing how to turn back, when everyone else is facing in the other direction. I know, Konnan. I _know_. But all I remember is love. Love is not something that is confined to a family. I think you may know that more clearly than I do. I have had friends who were almost family - because of love. I have had the little happiness I have had - because of love. And I have been able to return to my former life ... _because of love_."_

_And in the end, Konnan had agreed to return with us to Falconreach._

* * *

Such was the power of Kyra. Her power to understand ... and love. More than anything else, it was this.

And I realized that, for this, I was inexplicably attracted to her_._ It was why I could never be far from her side. Why I couldn't bear for anything to happen to her.

_I loved her._

_Kyra._

_Not Vayle._

_Why had I not realized this sooner?_

* * *

"Artix! What brings you here -" Zhoom's eyes widened when he saw Kyra in my arms. "She's hurt!"

I set Kyra on one of Zhoom's pallets and knelt down beside her. She was tossing and turning, and I reached out to feel her forehead. It was burning hot. How long had she been feverish like this? I feared the consequences...

"Her wounds must have gotten infected!" shouted Zhoom when I told him.

"We have to get cold water!"

"_We don't have any here!_" Zhoom yelled. His frenzied, almost crazed-with-worry expression seemed to mirror mine. I realized faintly that he must also have some feelings for Kyra, but I decided not to dwell on that. I pressed my hands to my temples, willing myself to think... I, Artix von Krieger, had been able to keep calm in the face of countless dangers. Why couldn't I now? I bit down on my lip, hard enough to make it bleed, but at least it stopped me from screaming insanely.

_Kyra. You have to keep calm for Kyra. _Instantly, I felt my thoughts settle.

_Warlic. _The answer came easily then.

"We need to find Warlic!" I shouted. "How -"

"PORTAL!" Zhoom pointed. With no time to waste, I lifted Kyra into my arms and ran through the rectangular opening in the air, with Zhoom following.

We landed in front of Warlic's headquarters. Zhoom beat me to the door, pounding relentlessly on it until Warlic opened it. Before I knew it Warlic was already taking Kyra from me and setting her on a bed. Zhoom and I scrambled after the Blue Mage, because Kyra was with him. We could not leave her side for a moment.

"Warlic, do something, please!" I shouted. Warlic raised his hands so that they were hovering in the air above Kyra, then muttered something under his breath. White light arched from his hands and surrounded Kyra's body. I could see a red haze beginning to lift up from her, mingling with the white light to form a glowing ball of light interspersed with red, which flew back to Warlic's hand.

"I have lifted her fever," he announced, "along with her infections. Her wounds have healed." And sure enough, Kyra was breathing evenly, and seemed to be sleeping lightly. I could have sobbed with relief. And then the bad news came, jarring me to my bones.

"But because of the duration and level of the fever ... she may have lost most or all of her memory..."

I was too numb to hear anything more.

**Noo. Artix's chapters are always longer! Sorry, if that is a problem to any of you. I just had more to say from his perspective, so I could give all the background info. I'll try to have Kyra say more. **

**Until Chapter 5! :DDD Please read, rate and review! I appreciate it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**KYRA**

There was bright light all around me, but my eyes were closed. Why were they closed? Why was I here? And, as a matter of fact, where was I anyway?

I tried to remember what I had been doing before ... before ...

I couldn't remember.

But I had to find out where I was, and how I ended up here.

I opened my eyes.

Three people stared down at me. All were male.

The first had dark brown hair and eyes of the same color, and pale skin. He wore armor, with gold rims, and seemed to have a strong build. I supposed he was a knight. He looked to be only a little older than me, but he had dark circles under his eyes, which were full of fatigue, as though he hadn't slept in days, or just worked too hard.

The second man had long black hair and black eyes. He was very tan, and had loose-fitting garb that made him look like someone living in a desert. He had a lot of tattoos on his face, and on his very muscular arms. Like the knight, he had an expression of tiredness, worry, and something else in his face.

The last was an almost ageless man, dressed in flowing blue robes, with longish, blindingly white hair. He carried a wooden pole with an orb at the top, and the air seemed to shimmer and sparkle around him. He looked at me with a wise air in his eyes.

It wasn't long before they all registered that I was awake and looking at them.

The knight reacted first.

"Kyra!" he almost shouted. "You're all right!" He looked about ready to cry with relief.

So... Kyra was my _name? _I was confused, and didn't answer. Still, Kyra was a nice name. I supposed I could use it.

"Kyra!" the knight said. "Can you hear me? Do you remember who I am?" He reached out to grab my arms, looking almost... hopeful. Fear rose in my throat, and I shoved him away roughly, surprised that he did not resist me. But something in his face cracked.

The tattooed man asked concernedly, "Kyra?"

"Get away from me!" I shouted.

Sure, the three men were interesting to look at, but they were _men. _And I was a female in the midst of a room full of males. This was not good.

"Get away from me, you perverts!" I yelled, pushing them away as I jumped out of the bed.

"Do you have no recollection of what happened, Kyra?" asked the white-haired man.

What if they had done something bad to me?

"I'll thank you not to mention any more!" I shouted, lunging for the nearest vase on a shelf in front of me so I could throw it at him. But before I could I felt strong metal-covered arms around me, pinning my arms to my sides. It was the knight.

"Let _go _of me, you creep! Let go!" I flailed wildly, and for some reason, he let go.

Without a backward glance, I ran out of the room, fleeing from the sight of the three men.


	6. Chapter 6

**ARTIX**

"Kyra!" I shouted, preparing to run after her. But Warlic stopped me.

"Let her go," he said quietly.

My legs felt wobbly beneath me, and I slumped down against the wall, burying my head in my mail-gloved hands.

I should have known.

Kyra had indeed lost her memory. She did not remember a thing about any of us.

Which also meant ...

She had forgotten that she had once loved me. But that wasn't the most important part. I deserved to lose her love, for all I had done.

What about her good, kind nature, though? Was that still intact? What if ... what if...

_Don't. Don't_ ever _think about that. Because your life depends on it._

It was all my fault. All of this was caused by me.

Why couldn't I be punished instead? Instead of a sweet, loving girl who had never hurt anyone, who had never deserved to lose everything?

On second thought, perhaps I _had _been punished. In a sense, I was standing in Kyra's shoes, experiencing firsthand just how painful it was to love someone wholeheartedly, and to not be loved in return.

I felt tears gather at the corners of my eyes, and scrubbed them away hastily. But more came, and I couldn't help but succumb to them.

In all the years of my life I had striven to hide any signs of weakness from my demeanor. It would only make me more vulnerable to the enemies that had crossed my path - Sepulchure, Drakonnan (at one time), Xan, Drakath, all of the rest. Of course, crying was strictly forbidden by the Artix-conscience - it wouldn't solve any problems.

But I didn't care now. I allowed the sobs to rack my body, not caring if anyone was watching.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to put my life back together. Because I had ruined another's. Kyra's. I wept for all the chances I had been given, and never taken. I wept for the girl who had suffered in my stead ... and lost everything. I wept for the girl who would never be the same again.

"Kyra..." I choked on the name. How I wished she was here with me. I wanted to see her kind face, to hold her close, to tell her the earth-shattering truth - that I loved _her, _not Vayle. That all I ever wanted was to be with her forever.

But it was too late.

At length I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced up and found Warlic looking down at me. I was grateful that he had not interrupted me during my bout of sadness. He had allowed me to ponder what I had done. I knew that he was aware of everything that had happened, but he just hadn't mentioned it.

Or maybe not.

Suddenly I felt the collar of my cape being yanked up, and I was thrust against the wall with unimaginable force. I opened my eyes to find Zhoom holding me by the collar, glaring at me with no small amount of malice. Really, that was an understatement. The man looked like he wanted to kill me. Indeed, he was patting himself for his dagger, which appeared to be lost.

If he did kill me, I deserved it, anyway.

"You are despicable," Zhoom snarled in my face. "_You _were the cause of all her pain. And _you _were the cause of everything that happened just now. _It's all your fault Kyra's like this now._" He shook his head in disgust, barely managing to keep a lid on his anger. But sadness seeped out. I thought I saw something gleam in the corner of his eye, but it was gone in a second.

Over Zhoom's shoulder, I could see Warlic, looking apologetic, picking up the ranger's discarded dagger from the floor and placing it safely out of reach. So Zhoom had tried his renowned powers of persuasion on Warlic, too.

"If you do not make all of this right again, _I will hunt you down if it is the last thing I do," _Zhoom hissed. "You held her life in your hands, and you destroyed it. And you must get it _back, _or Sek-Duat willing, I will make you regret this!"

And with that sound verbal beating, he let me go.

I had to find Kyra if I was to make everything right again. So out I went, ignoring the overwhelming pain and fatigue I had accumulated throughout the day.

The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky, the birds chirped merrily, and there were flowers and plants everywhere in full bloom. But to my mind's eye the sky was gray, covered in clouds, the sun was nowhere to be seen, and the land was lifeless.

When I was a safe distance from the house, I heard a whisper next to my ear. It was Warlic - he had followed me out without my noticing. I was much too tired, defeated, and depressed to make much out of it. He handed me a health potion, which I mechanically drank; it did not improve my situation. But what he said next suddenly changed everything.

"_Time. Time heals all wounds ... and time brings back memories_."

**Yay my 6th chapter! But sadly, writer's block kicked in, and I'm having trouble thinking of ideas for the next chapter. Like, what should happen to Kyra now? And what will Artix do? I would love to hear some of your ideas! :DD**


	7. Author's Note (AN)

Hi everyone!

Sorry this is not a chapter, but just a boring Author's Note. However, I am happy to say that as of now, I will be continuing with this story once more! Yay!

First, special thanks to the following reviewers:

**Eglantine18: **Haha, nice to know that you are following all my stories. Thanks for all the support! :DDD And all the reviews, too! Hehe ... write some stories! I see you don't have any. I'd like to read some of your writing!

**Unrequited1: **Nice name, by the way. And thanks for your review! It's nice to know that someone actually thinks my story is well-written! :DD I was actually wondering whether this story (and others) should undergo some major editings, because my writing style is just ... yeah. This story seems a bit _too_ much on the turbulent side, you know? Yeah ...

**Anonymous: **Wish I knew your name ... :D Anyway, great ideas! Mind if I give them a try? : ) And your question ... hmmm ... It would probably just be Warlic (because that guy just knows everything) and Zhoom. (Zhoom has an inkling of an idea ..) His feelings towards Kyra? I'm still undecided on that one :P ... Vayle doesn't know about Kyra's feelings for Artix though ... for now, at least? Regarding the end of the story .. I plan to make it happy. That's all I'll give for now. ;)

And, of course, I would love to thank everyone who has taken the time to stop and read this story!

I had writer's block before, not to mention school and other issues, so I wasn't really able to write much for any of my stories these past few weeks. But now, I will be continuing on this story! So expect updates soon (sorry, but I don't have a set date in mind). Anyway, with writer's block gone, I can finally recommence writing! See y'all soon with the next chapter, dear readers!


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